4/23/2015: Escape From New York & Big Trouble In Little China

Faithful Dissolve readers will recall that we recently feted John Carpenter’s ludicrous 1981 action-thriller Escape From New York for Movie Of The Week. But here’s a secret: There’s a deep schism within the Dissolve ranks between those who consider Escape to be Carpenter’s cult masterpiece, and those who would give the title to a later Carpenter-Kurt Russell collaboration, the similarly ludicrous 1985 action-fantasy Big Trouble In Little China. We’re like the Chang Sing and Wing Kong up in here, but with less street-fighting and more sitting quietly at our desks and typing angrily to each other. I won’t reveal who falls into what ranks, only inform you that HDNet is offering a prime opportunity to determine on which side you fall this evening. Escape From New York and Big Trouble In Little China will air back to back—twice!—this evening, allowing viewers with two and a half hours on their hands to determine once and for all whether they’re truly a Snake Plissken or Jack Burton at heart. Frankly, the two films don’t have that much in common outside their director and star—and Escape was the bigger commercial hit by a wide margin—but Carpenter and Russell bring out the best in each other when it comes to carrying off big, popcorn-y action fare. The double-feature kicks off with Escape From New York at 6:15 p.m. Eastern, followed by Big Trouble In Little China at 8 p.m. Eastern. The lineup repeats after that, so you can watch it all again—or maybe throw in your copy of The Thing and really confuse the issue.